Warblers Week
by Janeiina
Summary: Niff stories for Warbler Week on tumblr. I'll post them separately on my tumblr and all together here :) Jeff POV.
1. Day 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or anything related.**

**Contribution for Warbler Week!**

**Day 1: First Time Meeting Each Other**

* * *

It's weird, to sit outside the mall with Kurt and just.. wait. I don't even know these guys, but Kurt had insisted on me going along. _Guys night. _Or afternoon, I don't even know anymore. Reluctantly, I had agreed after he'd gone over from harassing to plain out threatening me.. Such a lovely person, isn't he? _The_ best friend I've ever had.

God, I hate him sometimes.

What have I ever done to deserve anything like this? Not that I don't like meeting new people, usually, but it's still _weird_, especially when your best friend simultaneously wants to show off his new boyfriend and fling his dapperness into everyone's face. I know his name is Blaine, he's a Dalton boy – Geez, can anyone say snob? - and he's bringing a few friends. Who are also from Dalton. Wow, that just sounds like tons of fun, doesn't it? A bunch of stuck up boarding boys and on top of that, we're also at the mall, like we're thirteen all over again. I groan as I lean forward, my elbows on my thighs, hands covering my face. These benches never had so much appeal as today.. I might just sit here all night and regret all my life choices.

Okay, so I like to be a little dramatic at times, so what?

It's just... next to Kurt you can only look worse for wear, doesn't matter how hard you try. Also, I re-dyed my hair this week and.. Well, let's just say I got a little distracted by the TV and now it's almost white. _Oops._

I groan again. _Great_, now I made myself even more insecure. From the corner of my eyes, I register Kurt sitting down next to me. He's been canvassing the display near the entrance for the past ten minutes or so while I'm fidgeting my way through my anxiety.

I tilt my head and glance at my friend. "I can't believe you actually got me to come with.."

"You know what I can't believe? That you've been running around with this hair for almost a week."

"_Kuuurt!_" I whine and close my eyes in mock-horror.

"Jeff, honey," Kurt crosses his legs and leans against the backrest, "We need to buy dye, anyway, and you love shopping. We both know you do, so you can just stop right there." He pats me on the shoulder. "And the guys are fun, I promise!" His hand lingers for a while, rubbing soothing circles on my upper back and - even if I don't see what he's doing, I just _know_ - probably smoothing out wrinkles in my shirt. With a sigh, I roll my shoulders and stand up. From the right, there's a group of four boys our age approaching us slowly. Questioningly, I look down at Kurt who is getting up as well and nods. So, here goes nothing..

The funny thing is, I only had to take one look at them and I instantly knew.. Blaine has to be the one with the gel and the bow tie. _Has to._

It.. was.. hilarious.

I turn sideways to hide my hysteric giggles and receive a nudge in the ribs as a Thanks for my decency. "Ow," I hiss at Kurt, though he only hisses right back at me to keep it together already. I cough awkwardly as they arrive and stop pretty much right in front of us. Blaine, and of course I was right.. Kurt's taste is just too predictable sometimes, goes in for a kiss (rude!) and then shakes my hand. Wow. Really?

"Hey, I'm Blaine!" He gestures to the three behind himself. "And these here are Thad," he points to a small teen with black hair in jeans and a polo, "...Beatz," a tall, broad blond in a leather jacket, "...and Nick." Blaine's thumb lands on another brunet, not too tall, but at least he's taller than Blaine and Thad. He's in a cardigan, chinos and the stupidest hat I have ever seen in my whole life. And he's looking at me funny..

Well, the bunch looks friendly enough.

"Hi, I'm-" I start, but the brunet interrupts me at once, leaving me flustered and with my mouth open.

"Jeff, right?" The boy... Nick, was it? ...Nick's eyes flash in a sudden panic and his cheeks seem to flush just a little. Well, must be pretty warm under that hat. "Blaine said.. I mean.." The boys next to him start snickering and Beatz slaps him on the shoulder, mouthing something that looks like _smooth._ Nick lifts his hat, revealing a mop of dark messy hair, and runs fingers through his fringe before sighing and putting the hat back on. "Sorry, that was rude.."

I guess, it was. But I smile nonetheless.


	2. Day 2

**Disclaimer: Same as usual.**

**Sorry that this is kind of late, but I just got off the train from hell.. So Yay me! for surviving that torture. Also, I wrote this while I was still on the road, so it migh****t**** not**** make much sense :) there was blood.. just saying. I was distracted.**

**Day 2: First Date And/Or First Kiss**

**(the same day b/c I can do whatever I waaant. Also, not really a typical date)**

* * *

Boring prep boys, my ass!

Wow, I was so wrong. _So_ wrong. After doing about half of this twisted Guys night thing (Kurt, I'm still not convinced, by the way), I can gladly admit that my prejudices had no ground to stand on, really. Beatz, for example, is actually a beat boxer (no shit, Sherlock!) and excuse me, but how cool is that?! He probably is more talented with his mouth than I am with my whole being...That sounds kind of wrong. With his vocal chords... his lungs? I don't even know. And then there's Blaine, although all dapper on the outside, he's this tiny superball, happily bouncing all over the place. And Nick and Thad.. I guess they're alright. Haven't really talked to either of them all afternoon.

...Just kidding, Nick's pretty awesome. On our walk through the west wing of the mall, we've kind of been trailing behind, talking and giggling like school girls. At one point, he started humming "Let's Go To The Mall" under his breath and I almost lost it! It's not awkward at all, rather natural, I'd say, actually. He's just easy to be around. I even managed to snatch off his hat as Kurt was meditating on what kind of a blond I was going to become. Not that I care. As long as it's not epic Gandalf The White hair, which wouldn't look epic on me at all... More like an epic fail.

I think we've been in about twenty stores already, Blaine's arms by now merely functioning as baggage racks. It's adorable how he trails after Kurt like a lost puppy and doesn't take shit from Thad for it at the same time. Nick on the other hand has been holding my dye for about an hour and looks flustered every time Thad as much as glances our way. I don't know if it's because I still have his hat or... Anyway, we decide to relocate for dinner. It's really nice, because who am I kidding, pizza is always a Go. I share a bench with Kurt and Blaine; the others sitting opposite. I'm starting to fidget again. The space is too small for me to keep still, I can feel the urge to move grow stronger, so I fumble with the hem of my shirt and my hair until I simply settle on kicking Nick underneath the table. I snicker every time I let my legs linger for a bit too long and he blushes in response. It's really cute. Blaine glances at us, then at his boyfriend and cocks a suggestive eyebrow. I point at him, _I totally saw that, Mister!_

A sigh leaves my lips as I think that I can't even remember what I was so worried about. Meeting new people is fun! At least it was today. I flick a mushroom at Nick while Beatz is getting a refill of his soda and Blaine is busy tasting something completely different than our pizza. When he has to take a breath, he just laughs at my disgusted expression and winks at me. "I know we wanted to see a movie," he begins out of nowhere, "but I know that Beatzy wants to meet with his girl later, if that's all right.."

"Boo, you whore!" Without any warning, Nick had hollered at his tall friend upon his return. And I just can't help myself. I snort and almost choke on my pizza as I burst out laughing, quickly turning away from the group to at least hide some of my giggles. I think I may have cried a little, too. Nick eyes me sheepishly, grinning slyly as I face them again.

Next to me, Kurt is grinning, too. He turns his attention away from his boyfriend's..well, everything and asks, "What about you, Thad? Got a girl waiting for you, too?"

"Me? Single and ready to mingle!-" He stops himself, closes his eyes shortly and takes a deep breath before he laughs. "Please tell me that sentence did not leave my head... It did? Okay then.. No, just...no. No plans, I'm available -Ow! What the hell, dude?" I can only guess what happened in the security of the bottom side of this table, but from the look of it, it seems like Nick had nudged Thad in the ribs, _hard. _Weird.. "I mean, plans! Yes, I got plans! Plenty of plans.. My.. mom? Needs me to feed? ...the cat? Yes, the cat! Did you know that Blaine here sings Celine Dion better than Celine Dion? It's uncanny!"

I am just ever so slightly able to stop myself from face-palming myself, then him, and then myself again. Instead, I see Kurt and Blaine having this strange conversation via raised eyebrows. Intrigued, I stare at them unabashedly, but I only understand Kurt's half of the exchange. Too bad. "And what about you, Nick?" my best friend finally inquires.

"Definitely available." The brunet's eyes never leave mine and, to be honest, he's kind of creeping me out. In a weird, _hot _way. I mean, interesting. In a weird, interesting way. Yeah, that's what I meant.. I find myself smiling as he grins and assumably finds great pleasure in examining the table cloth.

Kurt claps his hands together with an ear-ringing slap. "Your loss!" he exclaims and loops one arm into Blaine's. "Movie is still on!"

At the mall theater, turns out Kurt and Blaine are sophisticated enough to not make out during the screening. At least not loudly. On my part, I'm kind of tired from being so wired all day and Nick seems to be tried, too, because he's lounging low in his seat beside me, his head almost on my shoulder. We keep laughing and pointing out stuff that we love and hate about the film, though, until he actually leans against me.. and I freeze.

"Sorry, too much?" he asks sleepily.

"No," I whisper back immediately. Just kind of overwhelmed here. I tell him as much.

"Jeff?"

"Hmm?" I hum, eyes dangerously close to drifting shut, and rest my head on top of Nick's. His dark mop feels soft against my cheek.

"Will you give me your number?"

"Hmm," I hum again in drowsy agreement. ...I mean.. What? "What?"

"We should," he yawns a tiny little yawn and kind of snuggles into me. Whoa. I think my stomach just did a back flip "We should do this again... Alone, I think. I'd like that." His hand finds mine in the flickering interplay of low light and shadows. I squeeze it a little and rest our intertwined fingers on my thigh. "You owe me a new hat."

"No, I don't," I manage before I pass Nick my phone and eventually fall asleep.

* * *

In retrospect, I should have known. But somehow I had missed it. I didn't realize it at the time, but...

This isn't saying that I didn't realize it at all..

Because, like in the movies.. You know, the cheesy teen ones - because somehow my life turned into that of a thirteen year old who's into prep boys - so, like in those movies, we left the theater hand in hand and then, outside by his car, he kissed me. Just like that. He leaned up on his tiptoes and pressed his lips to mine, warm and only for a brief second. "Good Night, Jeff."

And there I was, asking myself what the hell just happened when it dawned on me. I just had a date. With Nick. I went on a weird version of a first date-double-date.. Thingy. I couldn't wrap my head around it, still really can't. I'm dating Nick! And our first date was dinner and a movie.

How cliche of us.


	3. Days 3 and 4

**Disclaimer: Same as usual.**

**Sorry this took so long.. brother's 18th birthday and all kind of got in the way of writing**

**First Time Meeting Each Other's Parents, First Time**

**Keeping this rated T for now, maybe I'll post the cut out bits later..**

* * *

I'm sitting in my car where I've been trying to talk myself into leaving it for about half an hour now. I may or may not be on the verge of throwing up, if I don't move anytime soon.. Come to think of it, everything already looks kind of green and orange-y... I sigh as I rest my forehead against the steering wheel and talk some sense into myself. The light of one of the street lamps is tinging everything orange, you moron, not the fumes above your head from your own personal fight against cowardice.

The lot is packed, but no one is around to see me fail at life, which isn't actually that surprising, because it.. is.. _pouring_. The noise of rain drops hammering onto my roof is so loud, droning so all-enclosingly, that it actually throttles the gears in my head a tiny bit. It is also yet another reason to not leave the car.

I don't know why I'm stressing about this; it's perfectly normal to spend time with one's boyfriend. In a secluded space.. For a whole night. And an evening before and a morning after... Yeah, perfectly normal. As a kid, I had sleepovers all the time! However, I am not a kid anymore, am not that naïve anymore, and I'm spending the night with Nick, at Dalton. Which is, coincidentally, where I am right now. Or rather where I have been for the last thirty minutes..

I contemplate running for the hills until I remember why I actually came all the way out to my boyfriend's boarding school. It's the last night at the dorms, everyone had to move out this week. I glance over my shoulder quickly. Yep, those are still baskets for Nick's stuff. I even brought one of my mom's garment bags for his uniform. That's right. Those guys wear uniforms. The first time I saw him in that blazer, though... I'm not saying it's wet dream material, but yeah... it totally is.

Absentmindedly, I start counting the seconds... twenty-two, twenty-three... thirty-five, thirty-six.. til my cell startles me out of my trance-like state. I flail as I grab for my phone and feel the guilt rushing through me.

[05:24 pm, From Nick:] Something keeping you? x

Well, yes.. Nerves?

I drum my fingers on my thigh nervously. _God dammit, it's no big deal, just get it together already._

[05:27 pm, From Jeff:] About to pull in. Be right up. x

My phone buzzes almost immediately.

[05:27 pm, From Nick:] You know that I can see your car from my window, right?

I wince. Only _mildly_ horrified, I feel heat creeping up my neck, so that I almost start the car and get the hell out of there. _Okay, that's it... I'm leaving._ I lean forward and squint against the bright street lamp, trying to find Nick's window out of the many lit ones of the south dorm building. Taking one deep breath, I give up and open the door.

In a vain attempt to stay as dry as possible, I jog to the main entrance, the hood of my sweatshirt barely keeping any rain out of my face, and promptly slip on the paved foot path. I fall ass first into a puddle of mud and rainwater, which... is _just_ great. I look around, still no one there, and struggle to my feet, walking the remains of the way with a lot more care.

Nonetheless, when I finally arrive in front of Nick's door, I am soaked to the bone. My fringe is annoyingly plastered to my forehead and I shiver, teeth audibly chattering as Nick finally opens up for me.

"Hey Jeff, what-" He gasps lowly, gives me a quick once over, then grabs my arm and yanks me inside. "What?" he repeats.

"R-R-R-Rain," I stutter and just barely manage to untie my shoes with clammy, jittery hands.

"No shit," Nick breathes. "Just.. okay, no. Just get everything off! Strip and then.. then come to bed!"

"Woah, e-e-e-easy there, Romeo-o.." Still, I start tugging at my wet sweatshirt, but it's stuck to my skin, so I decide to bend down and do my socks instead. Meanwhile, Nick's ignoring me and running all over his room, grabbing towels from his closet and, _yes_, I think and mentally fist-pump the air, dry clothes.

When he stops in front of me, my words seem to register with him. "Hm? What were you..?" He stops himself; his face is pretty priceless, though, and I smile for the first time in hours. "Oh. _Oh_... No, Jeff, you're cold, that's why.. I didn't mean.. Not that I don't... Wow, this got awkward fast. Sorry." He helps me with my shirts and I blush as he shamelessly eyes my pale chest. He reaches for my jeans, but hesitates, and all of a sudden my heart warms and I question my freaking sanity for being anxious about spending time alone with him.

"A little help?," I ask innocently while toweling off my hair. I should probably take a hot shower later, or, I think as I see Nick's strong hands wavering like my own, but at the same time not like mine at all, _or... _a cold one, depending on where _this_ is leading... "Nick?"

"Oh, yes.. right.." He undoes my belt and pops the buttons open. If I wasn't feeling all icicle-y, I'd probably be a little more invested... Doesn't keep me from grinning at Nick's bright red face, though.. Well, that's at least something. He helps me shimmy out of the wet fabric and into the shower. Before I can even ask him to join me, because _hey, I can be bold, when I want to_, he's already fled the room like a wired little birdy. I chuckle, enjoying the mental image and really questioning my sanity now.. He is the sweetest guy and I am an idiot.

The water from the shower head turns hot, fogging up the bathroom, so I step in the jet and immediately jump back when it hits my body, frowning and cursing lowly.. "_Ow._" That hurts...

As I stumble through the door back into Nick's room, covered in a thick sweatshirt, thick sweatpants, thick socks and absolutely commando, I almost do a double-take. It looks as if something exploded in there! Nick's on his knees, bent over what seems like one of his suit cases.

"Er, Nick? What.. happened? It's been, like, 5 minutes..."

"I can't find my hot-water bottle, it's somewhere around here... Damn it, I _know_ I packed it earlier!" Seemingly frustrated, he flings bandages and a baseball glove (Seriously?) through the room. "I put my mom's quilt over there," he turns and points kind of triumphantly towards a huge dark blue and red pile of _something_ on his bed.. He's really cute when he's pleased with himself. Mentally, I file that away for later... "Get in," he grins and gets back to rummaging.

Carefully, I climb the twin bed and lean the pillow against the backrest before I place myself there. Which takes a little longer than anticipated... I fumble with the covers and am glad that I don't fall off the bed, since I positively manage to entangle myself in them. After a second of draping that monstrosity of a quilt tightly around me, I let out a long breath and, once I'm completely settled, start touting Nick's backside.

He's humming under his breath, going thoroughly through his, from what I can see, emptied closet drawers. That is when something else occurs to me... Nick had already had everything packed up when I came in and... now... now he has to do it all again, and all that effort because of... me? Biting my lower lip, I tell him as much, but he simply shrugs it off and smiles his beautiful smile. "Priorities," he says matter-of-factly.

With only that one word he leaves me utterly and completely dumbstruck. My mouth hangs open and before my brain even registered that stuff is leaving my lips, I kind of blurt, "I'm so stupidly in love with you, it's not even remotely funny."

Nick freezes, then after a few beats of complete silence he turns around. His smile is breathtaking. "Really?" Shyly, I smile back and nod. Without hesitation, he crosses the distance between us, lies on top of me and the blankets, and kisses me once, twice and then more insistently. "I love you, too," he murmurs against my lips and I struggle against the superior power of fabric between us.

"This won't do," I murmur before tilting my head and deepening our kiss further. "Come down here... I mean, come _in _here!" He is off me almost immediately and, beneath the blankets this time, on me again in hardly any time at all. I chuckle. "Eager, are we?"

"What if I am?" he chuckles himself and peppers soft kisses on my nose, my cheek, over my jaw and down my neck. Which is where he settles and sucks and bites until I squirm against him. My hands roam his body, pulling him closer and pushing his shirt up.

"Off!" I gasp when he bites just below my ear and I tug at his shirt again. "Off, all of it..."

"You shouldn't," he murmurs against my sensitive skin, "Not right after you've been," he nibbles at my jawline, "exposed..."

"Exposed, sexposed," I joke and, with one hand and eyes heavily lidded, pull him up to kiss his stupid mouth once more. "Doesn't mean _you_ can't, though.." Sucking on his tongue, I drag him down flat against the whole length of my body and, tasting his lips a little longer, insistently tug at the hem of his shirt while slowly rubbing our hips together. "_Off..._ Please, Nicky..."

Nick moans into my ear, but finally complies. He sits up, the quilt falling from his shoulders as he exposes his torso with one swift movement. His upper body is worship-worthy, _seriously_, so I follow him up and do exactly that. Worship it with my tongue, trace the sharp lines of his abs, kiss his pecs and nibble at his collarbones. I'm pretty sure I left a few bruises along the way, but I can't really bring myself to care...

* * *

The next morning - if you want to call it morning; I'd call 3 am the middle of the freaking night - we're up again. Nothing too exciting happened last night / evening, since I had been way too exhausted and Nick simply settled beside me and fell asleep right with me. Who would've guessed that sex could be this tiring? Not that we actually made it to the sex part; we kind of dropped off in the middle of things. And now I am wide-awake and Nick is poking me in the thigh. Well, not with his fingers, though, if that's what you think... His expression is peaceful, his hair sticking up in all directions and he's hugging my middle, one leg possessively sprawled over mine.

Carefully, I pat his cheek, brushing some dark strands out of his eyes before I ease out of the embrace and waddle to the bathroom. In front of the mirror, remembering that I left my bag in the car, I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose. Looking through the cabinet or not looking through the cabinet, that is the question.

Back out, teeth freshly brushed and absolutely red in the face, I put the bottle of liquid I definitely did not find whilst snooping around into Nick's bedside table and slip back under the covers. I'm feeling a little hot, probably because looking through the cabinet wasn't in fact the best idea. Or maybe it was? At least now I know... _Hm.. _For good measure, I rid myself off the lent sweatshirt, as Nick stirs drowsily and octopuses himself around me. He takes a deep breath and snuggles his face into my chest, making me positively swoon at the cuteness overload. God, I got it bad...

And then... _oh my_, then he doesn't seem so asleep anymore. His nose brushes against one of my nipples and he's lazily kissing the sensitive skin below. Before I can stop myself, a content rumble leaves my chest and with one arm I pull him closer. The arm that had been securely wrapped around my stomach is wandering now, down my hips and along my thigh.. I squirm and bury my fingertips hardly into Nick's bare backside. "Good mornin'," he grumbles into my sternum and things kind of escalate from there.

I flip us over, covering him with my whole body, rubbing myself against him and attacking his neck with my mouth. His hands find the waistband of my sweatpants and they push underneath, grabbing my ass and pulling me in...

* * *

Afterward, we bask in the afterglow until the sun comes up, happily holding hands as we lie shoulder to shoulder on Nick's bed. We relocate round two into the shower and then start packing his stuff back up and load my car. It's about 8 am when there is a knock on the door; Nick's just finished his last bag and I start from the bed to answer the insistent knocker. I open the door enthusiastically, expecting maybe Beatz to say his Goodbyes, but instead I am faced with a middle-aged brunette, her hair put in a high pony tail, a bag of breakfast in one, a duffel bag in the other hand.

"Er, hi?" I manage eloquently as she looks me over and then glances right past my shoulder.

"Nicholas?" she calls into the room. I turn around, mouthing _Nicholas?_ at my pale looking boyfriend.

"Mo-Mom? What are you doing here?"

Excuse me, but _MOM? _Self-consciously, I try to flatten my fluffed up hair and straighten my posture. However, she rushes right by me and examines the room with prying eyes. "You're done already? Where's all your stuff?" she demands. Wow, this little lady is a handful..

"Mooom, I told you I'd take care of it.. See, Jeff offered me a ride, I'm sure I_ told _you about it. Surely you would remember..."

"Jeff? Who is... Oh, you mean your new boyfriend, Jeffrey," he suddenly interject and then talks directly to me in the sweetest voice. "Whom I haven't even met yet. Darling, if you had told me earlier..."

Nick flashes me an apologetic look. "Mom, I _just_ said..."

"Oh, fiddlesticks, Nicholas! Come here, Jeff, _honey,_ let me look at you!" She places both hands on my upper arms before she turns my face in all kinds of different directions. "Oh, aren't you handsome.. Well done, son." I blush even further and stammer out a _thank you_.

This is about to get really interesting.


	4. Day 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or anything related.**

**Woot, I'm catching up! Rather short, but hey.. it's something.**

**First Time Dancing (Not A Competition).**

* * *

I sit in front of my computer when suddenly two strong arms wrap around me and Nick plants a sweet kiss to my neck. "Hi," he sighs into my hair and I immediately melt into his embrace. Humming in response, I place my hand over the one on my shoulder and squeeze lightly.

"They're playing Casper for this year's Halloween special, can you believe that? _Casper!_ You know, at the old open-air theater..." Nick kisses me below my ear and then his tone changes from lighthearted to something...else... "Do you... wanna go, maybe? With me?"

Aha, so that's how the land lies...

After a second, I turn and peck his lips quickly. "Who else's coming?"

"Well, I thought I'd just ask this beautiful guy that's been around lately.. Maybe you've seen him; 6'1, bright blond hair, legs to die for, has a really handsome boyfriend..."

I laugh and dab his arm. "Oh, shut up, you.. A date then?"

"Yep, if you deign to accompany me."

Which, of course, is a no-brainer. Can't have him ask other random blonds to go on a date with him, even if their brunet boyfriends are indeed astoundingly handsome...

We actually make it more than halfway through the movie without anything unusual happening. NO epic make outs either, unfortunately. Just us on a blanket between other couples on blankets.. Nick seems weirdly into the movie, though. Well, to him Casper is probably what Peter Pan is to me.. At least the 2003 version... So, nothing unusual.. Casper is doing his ghost thing while Nick and I play footsie like the hormonal teenagers that we not so secretly are.

However, once Jordan Hill starts blaring about finding a special friend and human Casper descends the stairs, I can feel Nick shift and get up beside me. He turns away from the screening and with a slight bow offers his hand to me.

At first, I don't know what to do with it or myself and just blankly stare between the hand and Nick's face. Behind him I can see Casper offering his hand to Kat. I blush what feels like a dark red and hide my face behind my arms, looking anywhere but him.

"What?" I chuckle almost hysterically. "Seriously?"

He's so cute, his eyes shining in the dim light, expression so open and hopeful that I just can't refuse him. I take his hand and let him give me a leg-up. We move a bit to the side where I then awkwardly sling both arms around his shoulders as he settles his around my waist and we sway, actually sway to the music. Soon, I relax into his touch and imagine my heart beating a little faster..

"Did you bring me here just so you could do this?" I whisper into his hair. He tightens his grip and I kiss his temple. "That's really sweet.."

In lieu of answering, he hides his face in the crook of my neck and after a while whispers ever so lowly back, "Can I keep you?"

* * *

/watch?v=_3pZotIizxg


	5. Days 6 and 7

**Disclaimer: yada yada, you know the drill**

**Final entry for Warblers Week. I might fill in some of the blanks later on :)**

**(Implied Moving In Together), One Proposes Marriage**

* * *

It's the dinner after Nick's graduation from Berkeley and we are finally done with all the obligatory family photos and what the hell not. Not that I don't love my family, or Nick's for that matter, but we've been on our own for so long, it's a little weird to have so many people orbiting around you everywhere you go. I can't even use the bathroom without Nick's little nephew following me in, for Christ's sake!

So now that we're finally, finally alone at our table for initially ten, we just lean onto each other for a while before the waitress gives us a sympathetic smile and then kindly kicks our tired butts out.

We walk home, since the restaurant is actually not that far from home. _Our_ home, still the same ratty apartment just off campus that we haven't really left since I moved down here after finishing my BA almost two years ago.. It's a beautiful night, the stars stand out brightly against the clear, dark blue sky. It's everything I could have hoped for.

Below the Sather (read: huge ass clock) tower, I stop Nick and kneel down to relace my shoe. He tells me how he cannot believe that he actually graduated today and how he can't wait to start a real life with me.

I tell him I was just thinking the same thing.

Disbelievingly, he stares at me, shakes his head slowly and his mouth drops open when I pull out a small treasure box. (Don't ask, he has a thing for Pirates of the Caribbean...) I open it for him and he basically throws himself at me, attacking my mouth with hot kisses and tears and a _Yes, yes, a million times yes.._

Next to us on the ground, there is the piece of paper I had put behind the simple silver band. Much later Nick scrambles over to it and puts it into his wallet; the ring feeling new and exciting against my skin as we walk home with interlaced fingers.

He doesn't show the paper to many people, says it's between us. When things get bad sometimes, like they do with every couple, he takes it out and when things get _really_ bad he shows it to me, too. And then I smile and remember how it all began, what we've been through all these years and that it is still worth everything. And I ask him again. Every time.

_**Can I keep you?**_


End file.
